Tetrapod Ichnofacies: A New Paradigm

We recognize three fundamental terms in ichnology: (1) ichnoassemblage, which is an assemblage of ichnofossils conceptually equivalent to an assemblage of body fossils; (2) ichnocoenosis, which is a trace fossil assemblage produced by a biological community that can be characterized by morphological criteria; and (3) ichnofacies, which refers to recurrent ichnocoenoses that represent a significant portion of Phanerozoic time. There are two different kinds of ichnofacies, ethoichnofacies (mostly invertebrate ichnofacies) and biotaxonichnofacies (mostly tetrapod ichnofacies). Nonmarine invertebrate ichnologists now recognize five archetypal ichnofacies (Mermia, Skolithos, Scoyenia, Coprinisphaera, Psilonichnus) to which we add the Octopodichnus ichnofacies. We propose a coherent and consistent classification and nomenclature for tetrapod ichnofacies. We name five archetypal vertebrate ichnofacies for nonmarine environments: Chelichnus, Grallator, Brontopodus, Batrachichnus and Characichnos ichnofacies.